Match Report Saturday 28th October

Natwest vs. City Of London I

Result 2 - 5

After an abysmal showing in last week’s game, City of London had a point to prove this week but were facing the one team in the league that promised to give them a tough game.

1st Half

City dominated from the off, knocking the ball around with confidence.

Totally against the run of play a deftly struck Natwest freekick fell onto the head of the tallest player on the pitch. A flick goalwards and COL went down. 0-1 and the first league goal conceded of the season.

COL battled back and with some fantastic flowing football in the final third, began to search for that elusive equaliser. Our superiority was clear as the defence were rarely troubled and the midfield and attack ran the show. 20 minutes in and Josh found JK’s darting run behind a slow-footed defence. Quick off his mark, the keeper came out to clear but failed to connect leaving Jay to run the ball easily into the gaping goalmouth. A dodgy late flag and the ref was forced to consult with the oppo’s linesman. Still 0-1, JK deemed dubiously offside.

Another 5 minutes of domination and an equaliser finally came. Fitzy burst through the defence to send the ball home…. 5 minutes later and more impressive attacking play saw Josh close to scoring a candidate for goal of the season as his 25 yard blaster came crashing back of the bar. 2-1 followed shortly after with Fitzy netting his second of the game with a clean strike from 15 yards. City unlucky only to be a goal ahead at the break.

2nd Half

A rousing half time talk from Capo saw COL’s 2nd half start how the first half had finished. JK controlled a defender's misjudged header before slotting into the back of the net. 3-1. Moments later and Fitzy had a chance to steal his first hat trick of the competitive season but placed it directly in to the keeper’s hands. A quick counter attack and a ball over the top saw the opposition net a second. With Natwest’s spirits lifted and the chance of a comeback no longer seeming impossible, COL had some defending to do. A dodgy 5 minutes under the kosh saw Tom Livermore keeping City in the game with some spectacular goal line saves. City needed to get that killer 4th goal.

Darty, living up to his criminal roots, stole the left back’s pride for the 100th time that day before driving a ball across the park to an approaching Lock. With the grace and power of a jungle cat, ‘The Lock’ arrived in the box to strike the ball and send it careering towards the bottom left of the goal. The keeper, being an avid watcher of sky sports was already aware of Lock’s sniper-like precision and stood routed to the spot, knowing a dive was futile. Disaster struck: the effort came back off the woodwork for the second time in the game. Still 2-3.

Some headed attempts and phenomenal saves from the oppo keeper saw Stig and Capo re-instate COL’s aerial and overall dominance but it was from a corner that the fourth finally came. Up stepped capo to power through the crowd... Like a young Bruce Lee, the marauding black belt took flight. Darkness descended on the field and into the hearts of Natwest 2s as Frankum’s hulking frame eclipsed the sun. For that one magical moment, all his weight was transferred to his right shin and a flying volley sent the ball careering into the roof of the net! 4-2.

From there it was an easy ride with COL playing a beaten team. Fitzy got the ball again via the marauding Saint on the edge of the 6 yard box, controlling first with his chest before swivelling with his back to goal to volley in his third of the game. 5-2 and still top of the league.

Congratulations to all who played on Saturday. Everyone put in a great performance and the quality of football played was probably the best I have seen in a City shirt for many years. However that performance will be for nothing if we do not go on and consolidate it with victory over the Comets. This Saturday is when it really matters.

MOM: Tim Dart

Goalscorers: Fitzy (3), JK, Capo

Result 2 - 0

Parking up the pimpmobile outside Eltham's finest turf accountants, I was feeling lucky. "Monkey on City II's in the Cup this afternoon please Guv" "Gotta be kidding mate, books closed on that one, Old Manorians III's are top of West 1. Your City II's haven't got a prayer. We've got some good odds on Elvis being spotted riding Shergar on the Moon though if you're interested?"

As Alan Hansen once said, in the Cup it only takes a few of the opposition not to fancy the trip to Kidderminster/Stevenage/Eltham but the early signs were not promising. The visiting attack was lively, some of the dribbling mesmerizing. Fortunately the early onslaught was weathered with defending in part measured in part desperate, one last ditch covering tackle from Keane living in the memory. Gradually though we found our feet and got out of the blocks. The longer the score line stayed at 0-0 the more our confidence grew and towards the end of the first half after a couple of opportunities had already gone awry, the crucial first goal arrived courtesy of a well-delivered free-kick from Carl, a salmon leap at the back post from Yappy and a johnny on the spot finish from Paul Andrews. Importantly we keep a clean sheet until the half and some regrouping with Ben Nwaeke back in the fold and impressing with his workrate and energy in tandem with Carl in the midfield engine room.

With Manorians rallying a second goal was needed to provide some security and it came spectacularly, the ball knocked into the box to Andrews with back to goal, a quick shimmy, turn and left footed shot rattling in off the post leaving the keeper stranded. A two goal cushion and the home fans pinching themselves. The odd nervy moment and misplaced pass aside the final whistle arrived without too much alarm to Danny's goal and Justin, hearing the opening whistle for the first time this season, going close to a third rattling the crossbar with a fizzing rising drive from 10 yards.

So, on to the round of 64. The road to Wembley beckons, every game's a cup final from now on.

MoM - Carl Read (selected by the ref's casting vote), special mentions to Paul and Ben

Result 0 - 1

On a difficult pitch underfoot, with grass ankle deep and a hill that would test the average mountain goat, COL saw many ‘firsts’ during their game against Reigate on Saturday

• The first defeat of the season
• The first blank for PG this season
• The first blank for the team as a whole
• The first win for the oppo
• The first penalty conceded by COL
• The first time a ‘qualified ref’ has………..never refereed a game before!
• The first time that we played the new 2nd half rules of only 32 mins!!
• The first time a ref has come up to us at half time to justify his decisions

Having said all of that, COL had the opportunity to win this game comfortably on chances created. The team had a slightly different look about it, with Thomas and Mark both starting their first games for the club and were to form the central midfield partnership. The first half was a very scrappy affair, with the pitch proving a real leveler as a lot of passes only got held up in the long grass, and slowly but surely we dropped our level of performance down to match the oppo. Playing uphill we were not creating very much in terms good football and I can only think of a couple of long range efforts that did not trouble their keeper. On the stroke of half time the oppo had their only shot on target for the entire match – a penalty. Admittedly the ball did strike a hand, Marks’ I think, but when you are 1 yard away from a ball that is hammered against you, there is not a lot you can do. Their striker stepped up and scored.

HT 1-0.

The second half started much brighter for COL, and within a coupe of minutes we had what was to be the clearest chance from open play for the entire game. PG received the ball just inside their half and he took off on one of his runs, beating 2 or 3 challenges before bursting into the box, he rounded the keeper and was about to roll the ball into the empty net when he had a Paul Robinson episode, the ball bobbled over his foot as he went to strike and the ball rolled away for a goal kick. A coupe of minutes later PG was again in the box, and he struck a decent left foot shot which their keeper did well to turn around the post. Other chances fell to Mig, who just pulled his snapshot wide and Pont had a good header from a corner cleared off the line. It looked as if it was only a matter of time before we got the deserved equalizer, but it never came, and soon our levels dropped again. We started arguing with the ref as our frustration began to show, but still the oppo showed nothing in attack. Then after 20 mins (just 10 min before the final whistle!!) we were awarded a penalty. At last I thought, get this goal and we are finally in business. Alas it was not to be as Woody gave their keeper a reasonably easy save to make. The rest of the short game petered into a midfield scrap and the game was over. A couple of bright points from the game were Mark Chowdrys first game where he battled gamely, and Andy Maris (MOM) at the back cleared up very well.

We have to put this defeat behind us now and look forward to getting back on the winning wagon again on Saturday against a good Clapham side. Hopefully with our full strength team back we can put in a better performance and get some more points on the board.